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Marucci’s CAT line is iconic. It dominates at the plates, by the numbers and in the hearts of BBCOR, USA and USSSA players. It often tops the lists of our best BBCOR, USSSA and USA bats.
In more recent years, Marucci has expanded the CAT line to include hybrid and composite versions. We review and rate each of those bats below.
The long-awaited Marucci CAT 9 was made widely available on 8.31.2020. (Check here to buy it). For 2021, expect the same great barrel with a new alloy and the same AV2 knob found in the CAT 8. The 2021 Marucci CAT 9 comes in BBCOR, USSSA and USA. It’s big barrel and light swing in USSSA will attract a lot of hitters, again. The not too end-loaded BBCOR performs as well as any BBCOR bat on the market, has a loud ping and a great look.
We hit the 2021 Marucci CAT 9 Connect in both BBCOR and USSSA drop 5, 8, and 10. In short, we love it. We think it’s a fantastic bat with a reasonable end load in both lines. The connection is less stiff when compared to other hybrid bats, but we preferred that. Our hitters especially liked the USSSA Drop 10 and believe it will be one of the best in that space for 2020. The only thing the line is lacking a USA version. Otherwise, there’s nothing we’d change.
Marucci is releasing a new bat for 2021 called the Marucci CAT 9 Composite. This is a two-piece composite bat found in USSSA, USA, and BBCOR. The bat will compete directly in a very competitive two-piece market against bats like the META, CF, ADV 360, and Quatro Pro. The bat has a balanced swing, huge barrel and, according to some our hitters, hits absolute rockets.
2020 Marucci CAT USA Review: Marucci’s CAT USA is a single piece bat with a balanced swing, big barrel and tech in the knob to help dampen stings. It is one of our favorite USA bats that we awarded the platinum seal for 2020. Most hitters love it for the big barrel, great sound and hot ball flight if you can square one up. In the USA space we tend towards aluminum barrels (at least in the early years) and the CAT 8 fits the bill nicely. After watching the USA bat play out over the last 2 years, Marucci releases a much anticipated 2020 Marucci CAT.
*These are basically sold out at this point.***
For the 2018 holidays, Marucci has released a special colorway on the CAT 8.
JustBats purchased the exclusive rights to the CAT 6. That is, the updated look on the CAT 6—with the red base and white accents—is a JustBats only bat. The expectation, as far as we understand it, is that such will be the case indefinitely. Making such an arrangement, as far as know, a first.
After a month of use with the BBCOR and USSSA versions of the CAT 8 we put together this 2019 CAT 8 Review.
(Looking for the 2020 USA Marucci CAT review?)
The 2018 Marucci CAT 7 is the same as the 2017 Marucci CAT 7. Marucci doesn’t hide this idea. They release their performance bats on a two year cycle.
Our feedback on the 2017 Marucci CAT 7 connect is derived from 3 hours of use among several different hitters